Blood-Stained Apple

Twisted-LogicTM (A.R)

Chapter 1

"Ed! Al! I want the both of you here, now!" Izumi shouted at the brothers as they were sparring. They both stopped dead and looked at her.

They both went to her, uncomplaining. Al spoke first, "hai, sensei?"

"The both of you, I want you to run some errands for me." She paused and the both of them nodded casually. "Ed, here, take these," she said, handing him a pile of papers and continued, "deliver them for me. Their addresses are written at the back of the envelopes. And you," she turned to Al, "here," she handed him a piece of paper and some money. "Buy those for me. And don't come back until you've finished the tasks."

Both of them nodded. "Hai."

They were already on the streets when Al suggested, "Nee, nii-san, why don't we go together?"

"Sorry, Al, but don't you have to go to the market place? I have to go to the suburbs, pal," Ed answered with a tone of complaining.

"Oh. That's right. Ah well. See you later!" Al cheerfully said.

With that, the brothers left for their destinations.

Ho-hum -

Alphonse was walking home, done with his err- shopping. Or so he thinks.

"Let's see," he started as he darted through the shopping list Izumi gave him. "I've got all the things here…"

"I've always hated doing things for her… Hell I care about her automail… She's lucky mom's--" she was forced to stop as she walked into something solid and cold. And hard. Everything in her arms fell to the ground.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" Al said as he collected the girl's stuff from the ground, then putting his hands on her shoulders, shaking her, to make sure she's still conscious.

"No, it's… It's fine. I'M sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going… Umm… Sorry," the klutzy girl blabbered as she helped him pick her stuff up from the ground.

"No, it's alright. I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, either."

She stared at him for a few moments, then when she caught his eye, a smile spread across her face, holding back what would be a giggle. Al, on the other hand, let out a sound that resembled a chuckle.

When they've finished up picking her stuff up, Al said, "well, sorry for bumping into you like that. Why don't I help you carry your stuff to your house? They seem quite a lot…"

"Oh no, it would be a bother to. I think I could manage… I hope…" She wobbled, doing her best to carry the load, but it was a failed attempt, though. Everything would've fallen if Al hadn't caught some.

"Well?" He asked again.

"Sure. Thanks," she said with an embarrassed smile.

Al carried most of the stuff as they made their way to her house. It was awkward. No one spoke as they trekked through the quite rugged path.

"Oh, that's right," the girl suddenly said, making Al jump slightly. "I thought I was forgetting something. I still haven't introduced myself. How rude," she giggled. "I'm Stephanie Layman. And you are..?"

"Alphonse Elric. Please, call me Al."

"Elric..? Elric…" She whispered to herself, pondering.

"Umm… Is there a problem?" Al asked her.

Stephanie shook her head, stretched her arm toward him and offered her hand. Al took it and shook hands with her.

"Well, I'm just… Kind of wondering," she hesitated for a second, but was soon interrupted.

"Yes?" Al asked politely and innocently curious.

"I'm aware that we've only met, but… Are you a soul bound to an automail armor?" She finally asked, her eyes looking straight at him, truly unwavering.

"Eh? Aaa… I," he was alarmed a bit then sighed. He knew lying wouldn't do him any good. He wasn't good at it. Plus, there was this force telling him to tell her the truth. Then he just put it in words. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

She chuckled mischievously then said, "well, for one thing, you wouldn't go running around wearing a heavy armor suit, right?"

With what she said, Al sighed to himself happily as he thought of the time that he used the excuse that it was "his hobby" wearing armor suits.

"Well, I won't be asking further questions about that. Sorry for intruding," Stephanie said.

"It's alright."

Just to change the topic, she started, "hey… You aren't from around here, are you?"

Al shook his head. "No. My brother and I are just dropping by our sensei's house to pay her a visit."

"Oh. Okay. Thought so." Stephanie slowed down her pace and stopped in front of quite a large, cement house, but homey all the same. The walls were painted beige, and a pair of huge, white-paned windows settled at either side of the snow-white door. The tiles on the roof were a reddish-brown color.

"Wow. What a nice house," Al thought to himself.

"So, Alphonse-kun, why don't we come in?" She smiled as she stepped onto the front porch, into the house.

"Oh. Okay…" He followed. Something sharp hit his mind when he heard her call him by his name.

"Tadaima!" Stephanie called out.

"Okaeri nasai, Hani!" Her mom greeted. "I'm in the kitchen!"

"Shall we?" Stephanie suggested.

"I-I don't know… What if your mom-?"

"Nonsense. Our family's used to people like you." She motioned her head to the kitchen and smiled. "Come on, don't worry. Trust me."

"Well… If you say so then," he replied, uneasy.

When they reached the kitchen, Stephanie dropped everything on the table, and gestured him to do the same. Stephanie's mom had her back to them, facing the oven. She was busying herself with a tray she took from the oven, which she carried to the kitchen table before looking up at them.